Big Ten Football 2016 - West Division Preview

After an impressive bounce-back season in 2015, the reigning-champion Iowa Hawkeyes once again look like the team to beat in the Big Ten's West Division. While the East Division is stronger top to bottom, there are intriguing story lines that should make the 2016 race for the Big Ten West title interesting to watch.

Top Storylines

1) Can Iowa regain its 2015 pre-Rose Bowl form?

Being only minutes away from a Big Ten title in Indianapolis, Iowa figured to pose a threat to Stanford in the Rose Bowl. All-American Stanford Running Back Christian McCaffrey wouldn't let that happen, and the embarrassing performance on both sides of the ball by the Hawkeyes stymied any sort of momentum Iowa hoped to carry into 2016. Now, minus All-Big Ten guard Austin Blythe and stud defensive end Nate Meier, senior Quarterback CJ Bathard and All-American Cornerback Desmond King hope to lead the Hawkeyes to Indianapolis once again. Iowa draws fellow West Division rivals Nebraska and Wisconsin at home. Michigan also makes an appearance, for the first time since 2013, in Iowa City. Taking care of Nebraska and Wisconsin at home should be enough for Iowa to reclaim the West title.

                    Iowa Cornerback Desmond King                  

 Picture - Hawk Central

2) What should we expect from Lovie Smith in his first season in Champaign?

In 2001, Illinois Quarterback Kurt Kittner (remember that name?) led the Fighting Illini to a surprising Big Ten Championship and Sugar Bowl berth (eventually blown out, but still). Since that Big Ten Title, Illinois' one relevant season ended in a Rose Bowl trouncing at the hands of Pete Carroll's USC Trojans (2008). After the Tim Beckmann era ended rather controversially (with accusations of mistreatment by injured players), Bill Cubit was unable to turn the program around during his short time at the helm, so boosters turned to universally-respected, NFL veteran Lovie Smith. Smith hopes to bring his brand of conservative, disciplined (and boring) football to Champaign. While we shouldn't expect a Big Ten Title out of the Illini anytime soon, Illinois does return 5th year senior Quarterback Wes Lunt, who has shown enough big-play capability in the past to instill some newfound optimism in Champaign. Expect the steadying hand of Smith to pay dividends this year, and more so down the road.

                               Illinois Quarterback Wes Lunt                              

Picture - Columbus Dispatch

3) Will Nebraska use its bowl game victory to launch itself forward in Mike Riley's second year in Lincoln?

After an opening weekend Hail Mary loss to BYU at home, the game became a microcosm of Mike Riley's first year at the helm of Nebraska Football. Close losses to Miami, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Northwestern (all by 3 points or less) preceded a dramatic, controversial victory over Michigan State that showed the game-changing potential of Quarterback Tommy Armstrong (320 yards, 2 TD's). With Armstrong returning for his senior year, along with senior receiver and top weapon Jordan Westerkamp (school record 65 receptions in 2015), Nebraska hopes to use an early season showdown with Oregon to catapult itself back into college football relevance. The three toughest games are all on the road (@Ohio State, @Iowa, @Wisconsin), but the Cornhuskers do avoid both Michigan State and Michigan. Winning two of three in that gauntlet of road games could give the Huskers a chance to win the Big Ten West Title, assuming they take care of business elsewhere.